Midgley and CFCs

By coachmorrell

  • Midgley discovers chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as safer alternatives to toxic and/or flammable refrigerants then in use.

    Midgley discovers chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as safer alternatives to toxic and/or flammable refrigerants then in use.

  • Commercial scale production of CFCs in DuPont/GM joint venture

  • Period: to

    CFCs become known as "miracle chemicals."

    Uses include refrigeration and air conditioning, solvents, expanding agents for foams and aerosol propellants.

  • Lovelock reports persistence of CFCs in atmosphere.

  • McCarthy of DuPont organizes International Conference on the Ecology and Toxicology of Flourocarbons with representatives of industrial producers of CFCs.

    This conference leads to the establishment of industry-sponsored research programs to determine potential health and environmental impacts of CFCs.

  • Molina and Rowland publish CFC/ozone depletion theory

    Industry-sponsored program now focuses on potential for ozone depletion.

  • DuPont begins screening candidate flourocarbon substitutes for CFCs.

    Regulations ban (except for a few exempted applications) use of CFCs as aerosol propellants in U.S. and a few other countries.

  • America bans CFCs as a propellant.

  • Farman and two colleagues publish paper cocerning a hole in the ozone layer.

  • DuPont increases development effort for alternatives to CFCs.

  • Molina and Rowland are awarded the Nobel Prize for their work identifying the dangers of CFCs.